


Not Beyond Repair

by ferix79



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Aftercare, Anal Sex, Anxiety, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Communication, Demi Noctis, Demisexuality, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Sex, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Light Bondage, Morning After, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Subdrop, These Boys are a MESS, They all figure it out in the end, Topdrop, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 09:30:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12909123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ferix79/pseuds/ferix79
Summary: Despite the anxiety, despite fixating on it for so long that it gave him headaches, Noctis knew he shouldn’t feel this way. This was the sort of misunderstanding that would escalate before he knew it and drive them all apart, and what would he do then? What would his dad say if he couldn’t face his shield and lead advisor because he broke up with them? Would he and Prompto no longer be friends?He couldn’t bear thinking about a future like that. They needed to talk.





	Not Beyond Repair

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Epitumbidia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Epitumbidia/gifts).



> This is a gift fic for Saiita, who won my 300 follower fic giveaway! Thank you so much for this wonderful idea, Saiita!
> 
> In which Noct is a complicated mix of anxiety, demisexuality, and sensory issues; Ignis is a little too greedy with his prince; Gladio is a worried mess; and Prompto is just trying his best. They’re all in for a hell of a ride, here. 
> 
> The boys have only been in a relationship for a handful of months here, just so you know. They are also a little older in this, maybe like 23-26 age range, so I was picturing Gladio and Ignis to look a little closer to their 30 y/o designs rather than 20. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Noctis created these situations in his head. He had no one to blame but himself.

It started with the little things.

Gladio getting up earlier to brew coffee before he went for his morning workout, so Ignis would have plenty of ebony waiting for him the moment he woke.

Ignis massaging out Prompto’s arms because he was tired from a long day of training and shooting, showering him in attention.

Prompto pausing in the middle of their time playing video games to text Gladio, or to take a picture of something that reminded him of Ignis while they were out and about Insomnia.

It was Gladio leaving little notes full of elegant script around the apartment; some for Noctis, but what seemed like many more for Prompto and Iggy.

But it was the bigger things, too—bigger to his perception, anyway. Like when both Prompto and Ignis stumbled out of Prompto’s room at a quarter to nine on a Thursday morning, Ignis straightening his tie while Prompto pressed kisses to his face all the way to the front door. And after Ignis left, it was Prompto making breakfast and bragging about what a good fuck they had the night before, and Noct should totally join them next time—

It was those sorts of things that made him start to shut down. He didn’t…he didn’t  _ know _ how to do that stuff. He didn’t even know how to reply to Prompto—Prom, his  _ boyfriend _ —so he stuck with noncommittal hums until he was left alone.

It was the bigger things that kept him awake at night, so deep in his own head that he couldn’t remember how he got on the topic. Just that it  _ hurt  _ and there was no solution except crying himself to sleep and hoping that one of the guys would notice the next morning and say something.

They never did.

It didn’t matter—he’d probably be no good at the act, anyway. He didn’t want to be a  _ burden _ , especially when Gladio and Ignis already worked so hard for him. Prompto did in his own ways, too, to brighten up Noct’s day when he could. So it didn’t matter. Not every relationship had to involve sex, he comforted himself, and better to not have it at all rather than out of some misplaced pity.

The worst part was that he knew. He knew they’d all had sex with each other before—they’d probably all been together at one time, too. There were so many scary things about having a boyfriend, much less  _ three _ , and knowing that they all knew each other so much better than he knew them got under his skin more every day.

In theory he was welcome in all of their beds—had been in their beds before. With Prompto while they played games on their phones, with Gladio for some much needed comfort after a nightmare and with Ignis for an afternoon nap on a lazy Sunday. But asking for sex was different, something deeper…

It was him asking for permission to enter their bed, because he wasn’t entirely sure he was wanted there.  _ They _ never propositioned him, not directly, so why should he assume that he could just invite himself in?

It was a question he shouldn’t have to ask in the first place. Consent for sex, yes, but if he was even desired in the first place…it should have been explicit. He should have already  _ known _ , and he hated himself for not knowing. He didn’t know how the three did it; starting a relationship and having everything just work out. He was doing something wrong and he was pulling out his hair trying to pinpoint what it was.

Despite the anxiety, despite fixating on it for so long that it gave him headaches, Noctis knew he shouldn’t feel this way. This was the sort of misunderstanding that would escalate and drive them all apart, and what would he do then? What would his dad say if he couldn’t face his shield and lead advisor because he broke up with them? Would he and Prompto no longer be friends?

He couldn’t bear thinking about a future like that. They needed to talk.

Gathering up the courage to just  _ tell _ the other three that he wanted to talk was a monumental effort and Noctis could recount several failed efforts before the question actually got out of his mouth. Then one night, when Ignis cooked them all a nice dinner, they sat down together rather than eating here and there and at all times of the day and Noctis knew it was time.

“Um…” Noct mumbled after enough of a pause in conversation that the other three looked right at him. “Do-do you guys think we could…talk? After dinner? I just have some things I want to say…”

Confusion crossed Prompto and Gladio’s faces, but Ignis remained a beacon of neutral calm. “Not something you want to talk about over dinner?” he asked.

Noctis shook his head. “It’s just…involved. I don’t want to sit here forever and distract from your food.”

“Of course, then,” he said with a slight smile, then politely redirected the topic to take the pressure off him. Relief washed over Noctis—Ignis just always  _ knew _ and Noct would never understand how he did it.

After the table was cleared, while Gladio and Prompto washed and put away dishes, Ignis settled down on the couch. He curled an arm around a very fidget-y Noct and snuggled up close. Despite his nerves Noct gave in and reciprocated, pressing his nose into Ignis’ shoulder as his eyes fluttered closed with a sigh.

“Everything alright?” Ignis murmured, quiet enough that their other two partners wouldn’t hear it over the rush of the faucet.

“Yeah…” Noct replied, distant. “ ‘s nothing…bad. Just complicated.”

Ignis smiled and pressed his nose into Noctis’ hair, exhaling before kissing the crown of his head. “I’m sure we can all figure it out, then.”

Noct wondered if Ignis felt his heartbeat speeding up when the kitchen sink turned off and the last cabinet door clicked shut. As soon as Prompto flopped down into the armchair next to them, Noctis pulled away from Ignis’ embrace and tried to ignore how his hands were shaking. He only had a few more moments to mentally prepare himself for the conversation.

Gladio was the last to join them, sitting on the other side of Noctis and leaning against the couch’s armrest. “So what’s up, Noct?”

On the upside, Noctis immediately decided that he liked their seating arrangement. It was a little intimidating to have Ignis and Gladio surrounding him on the couch, but he felt less pressure to keep eye contact with them. Prompto was also a little off to his right, so not in his direct line of sight.

“I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this myself,” he started, tangling his hands together and keeping his gaze focused in his lap. “But I’ve come to a point where I know I can’t figure out the answer alone and…this is about all four of us. It’s not fair to think that I have to come up with a solution on my own.”

Gladio reached over and took his hand in solidarity, and Noct made the mistake of peeking out from under his bangs to meet Gladio’s eyes. Right away he felt twelve again; young and scared and looking up at big, older, intimidating Gladiolus Amicitia. He pulled his eyes back to his lap. No, he couldn’t let such feelings overwhelm him right now. Gladio was there  _ for him _ , not to look down on him.

“I know the three of you have already slept with each other, or even been all together before,” there, there it was, he said it, “and since this is our relationship I…I want to do that, too. To have sex with you guys.” Nerves got to him and he mumbled the last bit, but the living room was dead silent. There was no way the other three hadn’t heard him.

“But I’ve had so many problems approaching you, I’ve been so nervous,” he pulled his hand from Gladio’s grip to hold his head. He could feel the mood in the room dropping, anxiety creeping up his back. “You guys make it looks so easy. I don’t know where to start, especially since you all seem so…involved. And I don’t want to be a  _ bother— _ ”  

Prompto moved to stand from the armchair, ready to unleash an avalanche of praise and reassurance on his boyfriend—his  _ best _ friend—but Ignis was quick to stop him. Seeing Ignis’ hand raised, creating a barrier between himself and Noct, Prompto got the message immediately. It wasn’t time for all that, yet.

Noctis either didn’t notice the exchange or ignored it, though based on how his breathing sounded like he was coming down from a minor panic attack, Prompto guessed the former. His chest ached for Noctis, seeing him so distraught. Whatever the root of the problem was he wanted to solve it right now, before any more strife came down on his partner.

“So I just-I need your help,” Noctis continued, “ ‘cause I don’t know what to do. And I hate feeling, I hate feeling left out and forgotten.”

Silence reigned over their apartment, save for Noct’s sniffles as he tried to hold himself together. He didn’t mean for the conversation to get so sad, but at least he was honest, right?

“You really feel that way, Noct?” Ignis was the first to speak, his voice faint. Guilt swept over Noctis and he already wished he hadn’t said anything. In the armchair across from him, Prompto looked absolutely heartbroken.

But he’d come this far. There was no turning back now.

“Yeah I…you guys are just kinda…all over each other sometimes. And it’s not that I don’t want you guys to be happy, but it makes me feel, like, pushed to the side,” he looked up at his partner, unable to rein in the regret filling his eyes. Ignis was so stunned he couldn’t hold eye contact. He turned away, lost for words.

“Can I tell you something, Noct?” Gladio chimed in next and Noctis’ eyes darted to him, “It’s…probably going to upset you. But if you’re admitting this to us, we need to admit something to you.”

Noctis nodded, hesitant. His fingers tangled together in anticipation.

Gladio opened and closed his mouth twice before speaking, trying to figure a way to start. “We…kinda thought you were asexual, or that’s what we were guessing,” he sighed, wishing the words would come easier to him; “Iggy brought it up first, cause he felt like he’d been with you long enough to see that you weren’t aromantic, but that you being ace might explain why you hadn’t initiated anything.”

Noct didn’t remember his mouth falling open. “Oh…” he exhaled, feeling like all the air was taken out of his lungs. His mind was blank. With no previous experience to draw on he hadn’t a clue what to say.

Gladio started to speak again, but his words fell through at the sight of Noctis’ big, lost eyes. “I…shit, I’m sorry Noct,” he broke eye contact for a moment, but then came right back around and took his prince’s hand, “saying it out loud, I realize how terrible that sounds. It was wrong of us to assume and not just…ask you.”

When Noctis didn’t speak, fixated on his and Gladio’s linked hands, Prompto did. “We just didn’t want to pressure you, you know?” Ignis shot him a look over the rim of his glasses, but Prompto waved his hands out in front of him. “No, no, it’s not an excuse. But, like, I would drop hints and try to invite you into…things,” he large, vague motions with his hands, “but you never seemed interested. And after the first couple times I thought I was upsetting you, so I didn’t want to push anymore.”

Dozens of memories of subtle lines and giggles and winks and soft touches flooded through Noctis’ mind. So every time…oh. Oh, gods.

They were a  _ mess. _

“But regardless,” Ignis, having regained his composure, spoke up, “we should have communicated more with you, Noct. We never meant to alienate or push you away from the relationship, because you are as much a part of it as any of us, no matter what kind of romantic or physical acts you want to partake in.” He squared his shoulders as he finished, hoping to drive the point home. 

It was Noctis, this time, who could not keep eye contact. Overwhelmed by so many new emotions, he was suddenly much more interested in his tangled fingers.

“But, given that it’s now very clear that you  _ are _ interested,” Ignis intoned, gentle but direct with his words, “perhaps you would like to talk? About what you would like to do, that is.”

“O-or we could save it for another night! If you wanna think it over,” Prompto added.

Noctis took a moment, wiping his hands over his face, dragging them down his cheeks. His mind was still fixated on the fact that he’d spent  _ months  _ ignoring all their invitations, but if his boyfriends had already moved on from the realization, perhaps he should follow their lead.

“No, no, we can talk about it tonight. At least a little,” he said, relaxing back against the couch cushions.

“Before we start, can I ask you something, Noct?” Gladio spoke up. He was unusually reserved, his gaze diverted to his lap and his shoulders hunched.

“Sure, what?”

“Could I…” he looked up at his boyfriend, “could I have a hug?” He opened his arms, expectant, as Noct melted into the couch.

“Of course you can, big guy.”

Noctis moved all of six inches before Gladio pulled him into his lap, enveloping him in the biggest bear hug he could muster.

“ ‘m sorry we made you feel that way,” Gladio murmured into their embrace, kissing the side of Noctis’ head before burying his nose into Noct’s hair, “never want you to feel like that again. I’ll do everything I can,” he gripped him tighter as Noct smiled into his chest, “and make you feel like the prince you are.”

If Ignis or Prompto thought their hug carried on too long, they said nothing about it. When they finally parted, Noctis coming away teary eyed, the room felt lighter.

After some rearrangement, in which Gladio stretched out on the couch and Noctis settled in between his legs, Ignis posed the question again.

“So, what did you want to try?”

Noct, ever eloquent, started with a long, “…uh,” before gathering himself. “Please don’t judge me for this,” he eeked out, sinking further into Gladio’s lap.

“Noct, it’s okay,” Prompto reassured, “We’re not gonna judge you for anything. We  _ have  _ to talk about this; it’s the only way things can go well later.” Ignis nodded along and Gladio intertwined his fingers with Noctis’.

“Blondie’s right. We gotta talk before getting down to business—that’s the only way he and Iggy and I have ever figured anything out,” Gladio added.

“Okay,” Noctis exhaled, dipping his head against his chest and hesitating for a few more moments, but finally, out it came. “Well, I…I really like the idea of submission. Like…I want you guys to do whatever you want with me. I don’t want to be in control. At all.”

The other three paused to consider his request, exchanging glances for a moment before Ignis spoke. “That…makes a lot of sense for you, Noct. But yes, I’m sure we can arrange something like that.”

“That  _ is  _ a loaded request, though,” Gladio pondered. “If we’re going to go through with this, we need to know exactly what your limits are while we’re ‘doing whatever we want’ with you.”

It was the kind of question that made Noctis’ blood run cold. He wondered if Gladio could feel his heart pounding in his chest as all the potential options blared through his mind in rapid fire. His vision started swimming amongst the dim lights of their apartment and he felt out of breath as anxiety like he’d never known flooded his system.

“W-we can totally talk about it later!” Prompto was quick to suggest, alarmed at how visibly shaken Noct was after a single question. “Like we said, this gives you something to think about. So why don’t we all just chill out and—”

“No,” his first word was barely a mumbled, but Noct tried again. “No, it’s okay. Just give me a minute…I can come up with  _ something.  _ And then we can come back to it later if I can’t get past that.” 

After a few more moments of thinking, Noctis decided that he had somewhere to start.

“I guess I just want, uh…normal stuff?” Not the strongest start, he knew, listening to Gladio chuckle through his nose, but continued nonetheless. “Just, nothing as intense as pain or anything too rough.”

“Uh, can you be a little more specific, Noct?” Prompto asked. “I mean, you’re doing good so far, but I want to make sure I know your boundaries. There’s no worse feeling than making someone upset over sex,” he said, with the guilty tone of someone who’d done exactly that before.

“Well, like,” Noct exhaled, rearranging himself in Gladio’s lap. “I-I wouldn’t mind if you guys kinda manhandled me. That would be nice. But I wouldn’t want someone holding me down and forcing themselves on me. I wouldn’t want someone forcing their dick down my throat, that sort of thing.”

“Understandable,” Ignis started. “So, in short; you like submission and you want control taken away from you. You want us to be in control to a point, but you don’t want to be in pain and you still want some freedom to move and explore,” he summed up, Noctis nodding along. “Those are some good points to start on, considering you haven’t been to bed with someone before, much less three people. You need to take time to try different things and see what you like.” 

Ignis’ words were grounding and reassuring, and Noct felt the pressure in his chest lighten just a bit. Prompto smiled at him and Gladio ruffled his hair.

“See? That wasn’t so hard, princess,” he teased, kissing Noct’s temple. “Gotta talk before you can get to the good stuff.”   

“Do you mind me asking one more question, Noct?” Ignis asked, looking rather thoughtful.

“Nah, go ahead.”

“Would you be alright with being tied up? Nothing…intense, as you put it. But just your hands and wrists, for example?”

Noctis was taken by surprise, but luckily the feeling of dread from earlier did not return. It was a question he  _ never _ expected from his oldest friend, but it was also just that—a question. Not a command or a request. If Noctis said ‘no’ Ignis would back off, simple as that.

“Why suggest that?” Noctis asked, genuinely curious but also looking for more time to consider his answer.  

Ignis hesitated for a moment. “Well, some people, myself included, find the feeling of the rope…grounding, I guess would be the best way to put it. And it sounds like it would fall right in line with your want for submission and giving up control.”

“Oh…” Noctis took a breath, considering the proposition. He never thought Ignis would be into… _ that,  _ but he wasn’t in a position to judge. “Well…I guess I don’t mind trying, if you think I’d like it. You’ve never let me down before, specs,” he said, finishing with a confident smile. They’d gotten _ so much _ done that night, more than he’d ever thought about himself.

Certainly they didn’t have any more to talk about.

“You know, now that you bring up the rope,” Prompto diverted his eyes, ruffling his own hair like he always did when he was nervous. “If-if you don’t mind, Noct, there’s just  _ one _ other thing I wanna talk about…”

Well, he just had to go and jinx it, didn’t he? Noct scolded himself internally, but asked Prompto to continue. As if it wasn’t sapping all of his energy to sit and listen to his own sex life being discussed so openly.

They were almost done, he reminded himself.

“So, the one last thing…” Prom started, searching his mind for the words. “Something that really comforted me, when me and Iggy and Gladio were first getting hot and heavy, was having a system in place if I ever felt the need to back out. I felt weird because I was closer to  _ you _ , Noct, than I was to Ignis and Gladio. I felt like you had to be around for me to interact with them, sort of.”

Noctis frowned, his brows furrowing together. He never knew Prompto felt that way.

“But, eventually, things just kinda happened and Gladio and I ended up in bed together. And the first time was pretty great! But after that I was so jittery and nervous of trying again that we had a couple of false starts…” he explained, a deep blush blanketing his cheeks.

“So, anyway,” he shook his embarrassment and refocused. “Gladio suggested this system of colors, so anytime I wasn’t feeling too hot, or if he checked in on me, I could give him an easy answer if I didn’t feel like saying more in the moment. So then we could stop and slow down and get back into the right mood, you know?”

Noctis didn’t really know, but nodded anyway.

“Yeah, so, it’s easy to understand,” Prompto reassured him. “Green means you’re good to go, yellow means you need to slow down, maybe take a step back and go in a different direction, and red means you need to stop. Easy, right?”

Noct took a few moments, thinking the idea over, and got a bit too wrapped up in what kind of situation would make him say ‘red’. All of the sudden he felt like an overstretched and deflated balloon. He lay there, limp against Gladio’s chest and staring into space until it occurred to him that Prompto probably wanted an answer.

“Oh, yeah, definitely,” he mumbled, massaging his eyes. His head hurt, all of the sudden.

It was time for him to stop. He tried to comfort himself, thinking about how much he’d said, but the exhaustion was all encompassing.

“I think we should call it a night,” Ignis said, resolute. “Sleep on all this and talk about it more another time.”

Within a few minutes they were disentangled, going their own ways away from the living room. Gladio was the first to call out a quiet good night before his door clicked shut. After fetching a glass of water from the kitchen Prompto followed suit, leaving Ignis and Noctis alone in the quiet, dim light of the living room. Noctis remained curled up on the couch, too drained to move to his bedroom.

“Come along, Noct, I know how tired you are,” Ignis tugged lightly at his arm and succeeded at getting him to raise his head from where it was cradled amongst the cushions. Noct blinked up at him with dazed, tired eyes, and just as Ignis was about to reiterate that he make his way to bed, Noctis spoke.

“Can I sleep in your bed tonight, Iggy?”

Ignis was taken aback by the request, especially after such a weighty conversation. But, if Noctis was asking on his own…

“Of course, Noct,” he said, chastising himself for even thinking of any other answer. He would always be open to Noct, no matter what the situation. So if companionship was what he needed tonight, Ignis would be there for him.

Moments later Noctis hauled himself off the couch, took Ignis’ hand and let himself be led into the other room. While Ignis went about changing into pajamas and brushing his teeth, Noctis went straight for the bed. He shed his clothes, leaving him in only boxers, pulled aside the neatly made maroon comforter and collapsed onto the sheets. With a pillow close to his chest he rearranged himself, settling on his stomach with his face pressed into the fresh, clean sheets.

Ignis had to climb over his dear prince to take his place on the side of the bed that bordered the wall, but he didn’t mind. When he was finally settled down he had a clear view of Noctis’ face, calm and relaxed in sleep. If Noctis was fine then he was fine, he thought, pulling the comforter up to cover both of them as Noct wiggled closer and they both drifted off.

 

* * *

 

Emotional intimacy was the first step to good sex, Prompto told him; or that was Prompto’s view on it, anyway. Gladio’s view was a bit more straight forward—sometimes sex was just sex, where both parties got off and had a good time and then went their separate ways.

“I mean, we’re flexible relationship where we have a choice of partners. But some partners don’t always have the time or energy for something involved and emotional. So sometimes that’s all it is--quick and easy to relieve pressure and stress before we go back to real life,” Gladio explained over some homemade ramen one afternoon. 

“And I’m not saying we don’t still love each other. Just…you don’t have to feel bad for wanting something different out of it than Prompto does. Or if you want something different than I do. You probably won’t figure it out the first time, but you will someday. You don’t have to feel bad if, after the first time, you want something different,” he said, slurping up more noodles.

Noctis didn’t know what to make of it because, emotionally, he felt very close to them all. Physicality was more where the problem lied.

“Physical intimacy takes a long time to get used to,” Ignis reassured him as they soaked together in the large tub of Noctis’ ensuite bathroom, Ignis resting his head against Noctis’ chest. “Especially if it hasn’t been very familiar to you growing up. But no worries, Noct—I can assure you both Prom and Gladio want your touch just as much as I do.”

Noctis didn’t say much, but Ignis didn’t pressure him into giving over his thoughts. Instead, Ignis was perfectly comfortable letting Noct explore his body as he pleased. Spindly fingers traced over his hands, up his arms and over his collarbone and through his hair. Only when Noct’s hands strayed a little more south, over Ignis’ abs, did they run into a problem.

A light, airy laugh bounced off the bathroom tiles and tickled Noctis’ ears as much as his hands did Ignis’ stomach. His hands betrayed him, though, freezing in shock as Ignis slipped away from his grip. It was a dirty trick—he slipped underwater and turned over, only to surge back on top of Noctis and box him in against the frame of the tub, showering him in watery kisses.

For the first time in his life  _ intimate _ was starting to mean more to Noctis than sensual, candle-lit scenes he saw in movies. Each of his boyfriends had very different definitions of the word and, someday, he would have one of his own.

Prompto’s definition of intimate was stuffing their bellies full of spicy Galahdian food at the takeout place down the street, sitting outside the shop on the uncomfortable wire chairs and eating straight out of the takeout box. Afterwards they walked home hand in hand and Noctis delighted in the way Prom swung their hands back and forth the whole time.

Prompto couldn’t help but kiss that pretty smile into next week as they stood on the welcome mat outside their front door.

Normally their apartment would be bustling with the tick-tick-tick of Ignis typing away at his laptop and the roar of one of the blitzball games Gladio so enjoyed watching. It made Noctis’ chest ache, because this was usually the part where Prom would hop over the back of the couch and snuggle into Gladio’s side while Noct was left to sit alone on the armchair, scrolling through his phone until Ignis called him over to show him part of an official document.

But not tonight. Not anymore.

Tonight Ignis and Gladio were gone away on a trip with Ignis’ uncle to learn more about the international dealings of Lucis. Tonight Noct and Prom kicked off their shoes and left them messy by the door in the way Ignis hated. Tonight was just about them, because when their other half returned they would take on what Prompto called The Night™. Noctis didn’t like to think in such dramatic terms, but couldn’t help the nerves creeping up on him every time he thought of it.

Noctis thought that Prompto’s idea of intimate was takeout and a movie—which was fine with him, really—but his true goal was taking Noct’s mind off any stress he had about their impending…date, if one could call it that.

So they bought a pay-per-view movie that they never bothered to see in the theatre. They drank whatever cider Gladio had left in the fridge and didn’t shy away from getting handsy with each other once it was all gone. Noctis threw his legs over Prompto’s lap and let him nuzzle into his hair and kiss down his neck. And when the movie was over and they were sunken into the couch cushions, already half asleep, Noctis relaxed and just let himself be.

Eventually, Ignis’ voice in the back of their heads told them to get up, brush their teeth and go to bed. They’d get cricks in their necks, sleeping on the couch like that, and Noct’s bad leg would start acting up. Better to drag their asses off the couch now then wake up in pain later.

In a bout of slightly tipsy, foolish confidence Prompto secured his arms under Noct’s knees and behind his back and lifted him up off the couch. With relative ease, he might add. Noctis blushed and laughed until they tumbled into Prompto’s bed together. They took their time rearranging limbs, ending up half lying on top of each other as Prom kissed Noctis’ eyes closed and turned off the lamp on his bedside table.

 

* * *

 

Two days after Gladio and Ignis return from their trip, Noct had not picked up on any moves by his boyfriends to initiate sex.

It was a night like any other—Ignis tapped away at his laptop, Gladio was off showering, while he and Prompto sat together on the couch. Prompto looked over some photos he took that day while Noctis obediently skimmed over a report Ignis asked him to read.

Except he’d read the second paragraph three times now, and he wasn’t even sure what the first one said.

_ Maybe _ he was getting a little paranoid. Maybe.

“Hey Noct!”

At Prompto’s abrupt call he turned his head immediately, only to have a camera shutter go off in his face. He must have hopped a foot off the couch, he was so startled, and dropped the report he was reading. Well, not really reading. At least the camera’s flash hadn’t been on.

“Aw, I’m sorry man,” Prompto giggled at his photo of a horrified Noct, “you were just so focused. It was the perfect opportunity.” Prom flashed him a wide grin.

Noctis didn’t return it. He didn’t like the joke, even if it was rather harmless. It sent his mind reeling back through the weeks, back to when Prom and Iggy and Gladio would joke with him, but he never really felt included. It soured his whole mood and made him want to dive in bed and never come out.

Tonight, though, was different.

“Hey, uh, Noct? You look a little bit…tense,” Prompto said, powering down his camera and setting it on the coffee table.

“Yeah and?” he mumbled, gathering up the report from the floor.

“Why don’t I give you a massage? Maybe it’ll help you relax a bit, you know?”

Noctis froze, caught between finding where he left off in the report and abandoning it on the table. A massage  _ did _ sound nice…

He tossed the paper down on the table, ignoring the slight pause in Ignis’ typing. “If you’re offering, blondie, then sure. How do you want me?”

Prompto’s eyes lit up at the opportunity. “Just stay right there, you’re already perfect.”

Noctis did as instructed, relaxing back against the couch. The way Prom complimented so openly knocked the bravado out of him and put a blush on his cheeks.

Prompto started with his shoulder on one side. And boy, were Noct’s shoulders  _ stiff. _ Prompto was no professional, but Noct had to give him some credit. He was even smiling by the time Prom moved down to his elbow, sore from days of leaning on desks and tables, signing papers and writing reports and attending meetings. By the time Prom moved down his forearms and through each finger in his hand, Noctis was a puddle of goo on the couch, drifting somewhere between consciousness and dozing.

“Oh, are we pampering the prince?” a deep voice entering the room drew him out of his doze, and he was greeted with Gladio emerging from the shower. “How about we tag team, Prom?”

Noctis allowed himself to tugged around and repositioned like a rag doll, bashfully enjoying the two pairs of hands moving all over his body. When all was settled Gladio started kneading his calves, the man’s hands still soft and warm from the shower. Prompto, on the other hand, worked down his other arm before gently pressing into his neck to find sore spots, working out days worth of stress.

Sometime between then and now, Ignis stopped typing, closed his laptop and moved to look over the back of the couch. Sometime between then and now, Prompto and Gladio stopped poking fun at each other and found a rhythm in silent devotion. An open, honest smile gracing their prince’s face was a sight to be appreciated in comfortable silence.

After warming up his calves and feet, Gladio moved back up to work on Noctis’ glutes and thighs. He dug in deep with his elbow, knowing how much trouble Noct’s legs and back caused him, especially after sitting or standing for hours as his position often demanded. Noctis’ brow furrowed and he whimpered into the couch when Gladio found tight spots, but gradually the tension and pain drained out of him.

Gladio gave up the massage sooner than Prompto, his deep and powerful strokes tiring out his hands and arms. Prom shooed him away from the couch, then moved around to Noctis’ legs and planted a knee on either side of his thighs.

It was not a gentle, loving smile that colored Prompto’s face, but a playful one.

Gradually, so Noct wouldn’t suspect anything, Prom lowered himself to lie on top of Noct. They were almost the same height so it worked out perfectly, Prompto smothering Noct with a pleasant, full body pressure.

Had Prompto not gone any further, Noctis would have fallen asleep right then and there. But the playful fingers that gripped his hips and began weeding their way under his sleep pants, tickling his sensitive skin, had other ideas. 

“Prom!” he said between a high pitched gasp and whine, turning his head to scowl at his boyfriend.

Prompto only laughed, bright and sunny, before burying his face in the crook of Noctis’ neck and tickling him with kisses. Noct yelped at the sensation and tried to nudge Prompto away from him, only to open up the other side of his neck to the same attack.

When Noctis did manage to wiggle out from under Prom and escape, he came away with a prominent, full body flush. Gladio and Prompto found it hard to hide their snickers and smirks, but Ignis handled the situation with a bit more poise.

“Perhaps it’s about time we moved this to the bedroom?” Ignis suggested, moving around the couch to join Noctis so he didn’t feel that the three of them were ganging up on him. He placed a hand on the small of Noctis’ back and gave him a warm smile, hoping to reassure.

He felt Noctis tense under his hand, but his partner’s face betrayed his body. Noct was smiling, eager and engaged, so he figured that they may as well take advantage of it while it lasted.

Ignis took his hand and led them all to Noctis’ bedroom—a location they agreed on earlier as Noct would be most comfortable somewhere familiar. Not wanting to lose momentum, Ignis sat down on the corner of the bed and pulled Noctis right down with him, until Noct was straddling his lap.

“Maybe you could start us off, Noct?” He asked Noctis, unbuttoning the topmost button on his shirt. Noct took the cue, gently undoing the rest of the buttons until Ignis’ shirt fell open. Noct already looked more cautious, Ignis thought, but at least he was trying. Noct slipped his hands under Ignis’ shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. He’d pushed himself farther than they’d ever gone, so Ignis was proud of him regardless.

Undressing after that was a slow affair, Prompto and Ignis taking the most initiative as they stripped away Noctis’—and each other’s—clothing. Gladio lounged on the bed, citing that he already  _ was _ undressed. He had nothing on under his sweatpants and there was no fun in stripping away just those.

Ultimately it was better for Noct, too. The less people stark naked in front of him, the less likely he was to go into panic-or-flight mode. They had time and Gladio was patient.

Gladio sat up as Noctis crawled up the mattress and joined him on the bed, slinging an arm over his prince’s slight shoulders. It was obvious what made Noct retreat into his arms so quickly. Prompto and Ignis got caught up in excitement of undressing, you see, and were presently fixated on one another as they traded kisses and moans and light touches at the foot of the bed. There was no doubt that the quick change in mood startled Noct, Gladio thought as he glanced down at his boyfriend. He certainly wasn’t as eager as he’d been five minutes ago.

When Gladio’s eyes trailed lower, low enough to see that Noctis wasn’t—in  _ any _ sense of the word—hard or turned on, he pressed a kiss to his boyfriend’s temple and snuggled closer to him. 

Damn, Gladio thought, just watching the other three undress had him palming his cock through his sweatpants, and that wasn’t considering the little show Ignis and Prompto were putting on. Noct was a stone’s throw away from being paralyzed with anxiety, and they had to find a way to curb it quick if they wanted the night to continue.

He cleared his throat rather loud, felt bad that he startled Noct but succeeded in pulling Ignis and Prompto out of each other’s mouths. Eye contact alone was enough to get his message across to the other two as he kissed Noctis’ hand and pulled away, getting up from the bed.

“Why don’t you three get comfortable,” he purred, sauntering to the door while Prompto and Ignis joined Noct, “and I’ll be right back.”

Noctis was fixated on the empty doorway. His shield— _ literally _ , his shield—to everything frightening and overwhelming about sex with his boyfriends just walked out the door, leaving him outnumbered with a cold lump in his stomach. Prompto moved closer to him and all of the sudden he had no idea what to do with his hands.

Prompto didn’t hesitate for a moment, though, guiding Noctis’ hands to loop around his neck. “Hey, Noct?” he asked, gentle as he stroked up and down Noctis’ sides, “you remember when Ignis suggested rope that one night?” 

Noctis nodded, still silent.

“Yeah, well Gladio’s gonna go get some so we can try. And you remember the red-yellow-green system?” Noctis nodded again and Prompto smiled before pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Good, that’s good. You’re doing great, Noct,” he reassured.

Noctis wasn’t so convinced, but Prompto’s presence calmed him enough that he didn’t feel threatened and outnumbered when Ignis joined them.

“Is there anything else we can do for you?” Ignis asked, resting a warm hand on his thigh while the other curled low around Noctis’ hips. “Anything that will help you stay calm and focused?”

The question gave Noctis pause. Their dual embrace was as overwhelming as it was comforting, but perhaps if there was some way to curb those feelings…

“Maybe, uh, maybe if you could blindfold me?” he asked, fear immediately panging in his chest as he anticipated their judgment. He didn’t wait, though, and scrambled to explain himself further. “The sight of all of you here and everyone  _ undressed _ is just…a lot. Overwhelming. I want to focus on sensation first.”

Ignis hummed in understanding while Prom looked taken aback. He would never…if sensory overload for Noctis meant too many visuals and too much sound and feeling, Prompto was the exact opposite. Being blindfolded for his first time sounded frightening and overwhelming, it sounded like the control being taken out of his hands. But he was not Noctis, so he had to trust in what his partner was feeling.

“Let’s wait until after Gladio binds your hands, shall we?” Ignis chimed in. “I think it’s beneficial for you to see  _ how _ your hands are bound…best to avoid any weird disassociations, as it were.”

Noctis nodded, though his eyes still held a distant, glassy look. It worried Ignis a bit, but Noctis hadn’t experienced being tied up yet. He likely didn’t understand what Ignis was getting at, he rationalized, so thank the astrals Noct had him around to help avoid such things.

Luckily, some of the clouds in Noctis’ eyes cleared when Gladio reentered the room. He held a hefty length of black jute rope in his fist and a sparkle of excitement in his eye. Ignis couldn’t help but smile. It was the same look that dawned on Gladio’s face when  _ he _ was being tied up. He didn’t doubt that the man was thrilled to start with a new partner.

“Ready? C’mere,” he encouraged Noctis, beckoning him out of Prompto and Ignis’ embrace and to the head of the bed.

“Put about six inches of space between your fists and…there you go, good boy,” he praised, and began by draping the middle of the long rope over Noctis’ wrists. The feeling of the rope, combined with the praise, made goosebumps rise on Noctis’ skin.

“ ‘M goin’ with a pretty simple wrap, since we’ll probably move you around quite a bit,” Gladio explained as he worked. Watching each end of the dark rope twist and wind and wrap over and between his pale wrists was one of the most hypnotizing and comforting things Noctis had ever seen—he couldn’t find a single word to describe it.

“Binding your wrists close together can be a little dicey for a first timer. People tend to let their elbows and chest collapse in with that kind of bind, which makes it harder to breathe. And that’s the last thing you’d want, course.” Before he knew it, Gladio had the dark rope forming handcuffs between his wrists, but a good length of rope, maybe six or eight feet more, was left trailing between them. Gladio held the loose ends in his fist.

“Feel good?” Gladio asked him, but Noct barely heard it. The rope felt so  _ secure _ on his arms, weighty and comforting, and the memory of Ignis describing how rope could be grounding trickled into his mind. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from how the fibers kept his wrists so solidly in place—before long he found that much of the anxiety curling in his stomach had faded away.

This was it, he thought, exactly what he wanted. His wrists bound meant that he could do less, could control less about the situation. His opinion didn’t matter—well, okay, it  _ did _ matter, ultimately, but in that moment, it held significantly less weight. With choice taken out of the equation he felt calmer and at ease.

“You weren’t kidding, specs,” he addressed Ignis instead of Gladio, twisting his body around to face his other partner, but lost his balance due to the loss of his hands. He ended up flopping rather ungracefully onto his side in the middle of the bed, though he did make quite an adorable naked lump.

Gladio chuckled at his surprise. “Smooth move, Noct,” he said, gripping onto the thick column of rope between his hands and hauling him back into a sitting position.

Oh.  _ Oh _ . That was quite the sensation, being pushed and pulled at Gladio’s whim. He finally felt more than just the stirrings of arousal low in his belly. He’d take more of that, oh, yes  _ please _ , he’d take more of that.

Now he just needed one more variable taken away—his sight.

Gladio and Ignis apparently caught the rush of emotion in his eyes, because moments later they grabbed Noct under his arms and manhandled him into a more comfortable position amongst a pile of pillows by the headboard. While Gladio worked on tethering Noct to the headboard, Ignis procured a blindfold.

“You’re still good on the blindfold?” he asked, just to be sure.

“Yeah, Iggy, I’m fine,” he reassured, spurred on by the rush of arousal flooding his system. “I’m all green, good to go.”

Ignis smiled, worries quelled at Noctis’ usage of their safe system, and didn’t hesitate to rush in and pay him thanks in the form of a kiss. Noctis jumped when Ignis’ lips met his, but melted into the kiss after a few moments.

This was pretty great, he decided, having his boyfriends all love him so openly. As long as the rest of the night went the same way, he’d be golden.

On went the blindfold, and with it that same feeling of submission flooded over Noctis. This was the part he’d been looking forward to. With all of his control gone, all he had to do was lay back and let the others have their way with him. No more choice. No more uncertainty. No more options.

He took a shuddering breath as he settled into the mindset, unaware of how much time had passed since Ignis put the blindfold over his eyes. He actually...he actually  _ wanted  _ to be touched—which was a new, dizzying feeling—but he reminded himself that his opinion wasn’t really taken into account here, so he may as well just lie back and relax.

Lucky for him, he wasn’t kept waiting long.

Someone lifted up his bound arms and slithered under them, pressing himself chest to chest with Noct. It had to be Prompto, then, because Iggy and Gladio were too big to fit in the small space between his arms.

“Well, let’s get you goin’, bud,” Prompto said, breathy and teasing as he traced delicate lines over Noctis’ half hard cock. “This is no way to go into a foursome, after all.”

Simple tracing soon turned into long strokes, Prompto varying his pressure as he went, and little bit of lube added to the equation meant Noctis was in heaven. He giggled as he let his head fall back, giddy and light headed from arousal and from losing his sense of direction since the blindfold was put on. He couldn’t help but flex and wiggle his hands in joy as Prompto stroked him to full hardness, his fingers playing with whatever tips of Prompto’s feather light hair he could grasp.

“I never thought someone could look so good tied up, Gladio,” Ignis’ smooth voice washed over him, a welcome break in the pleasure Prompto was bombarding him with. “I’m beginning to see why you enjoy this so.”

“Yeah, it’s somethin’ else…” Gladio responded, his voice distance as Noct felt a large hand sweep over his thigh. His legs lay open, lazy and limp as he focused all of his brain power on the hand between his legs and the lips smothering his, but Gladio and Ignis were quick to remedy that. A slimmer, cooler hand joined in on his other side, arranging his legs in a wider set, but more comfortable position.

They fell into heady silence after that, Gladio and Ignis enjoying the show while they let their hands stray between their two partners. Their hands smothered Noct, teasing his nipples and ghosting over his belly and thighs. It was beyond ecstasy, better than Noctis ever imagined, but somewhere between Prompto’s lips and the three sets of hands all over him, it was too much.

“Noct, how are you doing?” Ignis asked, his voice once again breaking through the haze of sightless pleasure that he’d brought upon himself.

Ignis knew what the answer was—it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Noct might have pushed himself a little far. His chest was heaving, gasping for breath with some need that wasn’t desire, and Ignis had a sneaking suspicion that the full body blush and overstimulated shivers weren’t just from Prompto’s hands and Gladio’s scruffy kisses.

Gladio and Prompto got the message and backed off for a moment, keeping the steady weight of their hands across Noctis’ chest and thighs still while they waited for him to answer.

“I, um,” he squirmed under the pressure that came from the sudden halt of sensation, unsure how to respond. “Maybe, maybe a bit yellow,” he admitted.

“Something wrong?” Gladio prodded and Noctis willed himself to disappear into the sheets. They  _ just _ started, and he’d already fucked it up. What if they had to stop now, and—

Communication, he reminded himself, still shaking from a mix of sensory overload and fear of…something. He didn’t know what. But it didn’t matter in the moment as long as they got back on track.

“I, just—too many hands. Too much attention on me all at once, and it’s kinda freaking me out,” he rushed to confess all in one breath. “Sorry, ‘m just not used to this,” he murmured.

“It’s alright, Noct,” Prompto reassured, slipping out from under Noctis’ arms. Noct felt a weight lift off his chest as Prom gave him space and the mood of the room settled down. “You did exactly what we needed you to do.”

“Prom’s right. Plus, switching from flying solo to having three guys in your bed isn’t easy,” Gladio added.

The bed creaked and sheet rustled as Ignis repositioned himself, shooing Prompto off to the side. “I’m going to move you, Noct. Is that alright?” he asked, resting his hands gently on Noctis’ hips.

Noct confirmed with a nod and Ignis closed his legs slightly before grabbing his hips again and pulling him down the bed. The rope tethering him to the headboard shifted with him and fell awkwardly across his face, but Ignis moved it and everything else—pillows, the other guys, his own limbs—to make sure Noct was comfortable. He relaxed easy into the mattress, knowing he was no longer surrounded and boxed in by the headboard behind him.

“Maybe this’ll be better, huh Noct?” Prompto asked as he flopped down onto the bed beside Noctis. Ignis’ hands remained, heavy and still, over his hips. “More equal footing?”

Prom didn’t wait for a response, but instead leaned in close and drew Noctis into a kiss. The hands threading through his hair were a welcome bonus as Prom pulled him closer, kissing down his neck and shoulder when their lips broke apart. Again, his boyfriend’s gentle lips pulled a smile and giggles onto his face. Everything Prom did resonated with  _ soft _ and  _ familiar _ and  _ easy _ inside Noctis—all perfect feelings to bring him back to a place of calmness.

This was better, Ignis knew, taking stock of their positions in his head. This way he would be the only one over Noct while Prompto lay beside him. Gladio would interact more with Prompto and less with Noctis, but they’d still achieve the same goal. Less people hovering over him and making him feel trapped, but the same amount of sensation and pleasure.

“You good to keep going, then?” Gladio asked, finally shedding his sweatpants and moving to join them. He kneeled in front of Prompto—close enough to touch Noct, but kept his hands off him for now.

“Yeah,” Noct answered, comfort and confidence restored to his voice as he played with one of Prompto’s hands between his. “Iggy?”

Only Noct could make his affectionate nickname sound so sweet, so genuine rolling off his tongue. His prince’s voice jarred him from his thoughts and he realized he was gripping Noctis’ hips a little too tight for comfort.

“You alright?” Noctis tried again.

Ignis startled at the realization that he might have hurt his partner and pulled his hands off Noct like he was on fire.

“Of course,” Ignis moved to cover his slip up. At least Noctis couldn’t see the uncertainty playing on his face through the blindfold.

Ignis didn’t look to see if Prompto and Gladio were side-eyeing him, but they had no reason to bring anything up at the moment, anyway. With both himself and Noct ready to continue, he grabbed the lube from the bedside table and slicked up two fingers.

“You said you’ve used your fingers before, right Noct?” Ignis asked as he gripped Noctis’ thigh with one hand and eased a finger into his ass. He was tight, but not painfully so. He recalled Prompto being much more anxious in that aspect during their first time together.

“Yeah, sometimes, but—ohh…” a sudden moan tore itself from his lips as Ignis pressed into a particularly sensitive spot that hadn’t seen much action before then.

“But using your own fingers is never as good as the real thing,” Gladio added on, smirking as Noctis’ hips involuntarily canted up off the sheets. They all took a moment to stop and appreciate the view that Ignis afforded them—their prince bound and helpless, his legs splayed wide as he tried and failed at thrusting up off the mattress without the support of his hands.

After a few moments, though, Gladio grabbed Prompto by the shoulder and shoved him back against the mattress. “C’mon, blondie. Noct can’t have all the attention,” he said, swirling his fist around Prompto’s cock and drawing out hums of pleasure.

“It was so nice of Ignis to warm you up for me…” he murmured before working his way down Prompto’s body, leaving behind kisses and affectionate nips. Breathy laughs and sighs soon morphed into deep groans when Gladio’s mouth engulfed the head of Prom’s cock. His hand migrated lower then, massaging his perineum as he swallowed Prompto down.

The hand Noctis had been playing with suddenly gripped tight onto his. Noctis squeezed back, more moans escaping his mouth as Ignis added in another finger. Prompto’s grip was such a minor gesture, but hearing his boyfriend in so much pleasure and having the weight of his hand in his…it was reassuring and comforting in a way he couldn’t articulate.

Gladio was spot on, in that sense. He didn’t want all the attention on himself, so knowing that his partners were enjoying themselves as much as he was spurred him on. It made Noctis feel like he was doing a good job, doing something right when fear threatened to paralyze him.

While Ignis worked him open, worshipping his wet heat and dying to feel it around his cock, he couldn’t help but fixate on Noctis’ cute little cock bouncing against his stomach as he thrust back against Ignis’ fingers. He’d seen Noctis naked before, but never hard, so the short, thick cock, flushed beautifully red against his prince’s pale skin, was difficult to keep his eyes off of.

He was  _ supposed  _ to be fingering Noct open, but it looked so tempting…

Noctis gasped at the loss of sensation as the fingers slipped out of his ass, cocking his head to the side in question before words reached his mouth. “Ignis?” he asked, distant and gentle.

“I’m sorry, Noct,” Ignis pitched himself forward, rutting his cock against Noctis’ hip before aligning the both of them and grasping their cocks together in his fist, “you just look so stunning like this. It’s impossible to resist.”

Before Noctis had the chance to curl in on himself in apprehension, Ignis’ hand and cock against his swept him away in pleasure. The motion of their erections sliding together was like electricity running through his veins. His hips pistoned against Ignis’ grip at a rapid, uneven pace, the intense frottage bringing him a level of pleasure he’d never in his life felt before.

“Oh,  _ Ignis _ ,” he moaned, almost screamed in pleasure. Those words of praise sounded almost dirty on Ignis’ lips and he was pushed beyond every limit he thought he had, knowing that his advisor and childhood friend thought of him that way.

It was perfect, excellent, and Noct wanted Ignis to make him feel that way all the time.

“Oh, didn’t take you for a screamer, Noct,” Gladio said, rubbing his hand up and down Prompto’s cock in place of his mouth. Prompto could only hum and moan along in appreciation of Gladio and the sight of Ignis and Noct before him.

Ignis nearly came on the spot from hearing his prince moan his name, so wanton and open and lustful. He could have given in to his instinct to keep thrusting and finish the both of them off, but reined himself in at the last second.

Think of what was to come, of the main event, he told himself. With monumental effort he released Noctis’ cock, appreciating the way it bobbed and leaked precum as it fell back against his stomach, and backed off for a moment.

“Iggy, why did you stop?” were the first words out of Noctis’ mouth. He kept trying to sit up, to follow that warmth, but his bound hands prevented him.

“Well we musn’t…I’m so sorry, Noct,” he panted, trying to catch his breath. He didn’t mean to push Noct, or himself, so far. At least he’d realized in time. “Just didn’t want to ruin the main event, as it were.”

“Oh…” he said, sinking back into the mattress. He hadn’t thought about that. That was why having all four of them there was difficult, he supposed. It would be rude of Ignis and him to finish off so quickly and leave their other partners behind.

“But…” Ignis’ voice settled over him again. “My apologies, Noct, I hope I didn’t startle you—but why don’t you flip over to your hand and knees, and then…” he trailed off. Oh, Ignis didn’t want to slow down and reconsider, like they did before.  _ Oh. _

Gladio pulled away from Prompto then, blowing a teasing, cool air on Prompto’s cock before leaving him to writhe in the sheets and shifting over to Noctis. Both he and Ignis helped Noct flip over and rearrange until he was comfortably kneeling on his elbows and knees, his bound wrists lying in front of him.

Noctis listened as Ignis popped the bottle of lube open again and prepared himself, his breath coming in slow, uneven pants. Somewhere on his left Gladio and Prompto were shifting around more, he thought, until he picked out the distinct sound of skin sliding against skin. The soft, higher pitched breathing that accompanied the sound meant it had to be…

“Prom?”  he asked.

“Yeah?”

“Are you…getting yourself off?” He hoped that wasn’t a weird question. They were all having sex; that was already weird enough. But he had an idea.

Prompto chuckled, “Well, uh, yeah. Kinda hard not to, with you bent over like that and all.”

“W-would it be okay if I sucked you off?” he asked, self doubt trickling back into his mind. He’d never given a blowjob before, but it couldn’t be that hard, right? He…he just wanted to please his boyfriends. They spent all this energy working to please him, so he had to reciprocate somehow.

Well, Prompto certainly wasn’t going to say no to that.

They’d have to take the blindfold off, they all agreed, because if Noct couldn’t use his hands he needed to see what he was doing, at least. Prom ended up near the headboard, kneeling in front of Noct, while Ignis gripped Noctis’ hips from behind. Noct reveled in the feeling of Ignis’ hands exploring him, roaming over his ass and squeezing his sides. 

“Go slow, kay Noct?” Prompto encouraged from above, a little lost in Noctis’ pleasure drunk, deep blue eyes. “You don’t have to fit it all in your mouth, and I can use my hand to help myself along since you can’t use yours.”

“Kay,” he said, almost a whisper, and lowered his head back down to face Prompto’s cock. He hoped he could do his boyfriend some justice, even though he’d never done it before.

Suddenly a weight pressed all along his back, and a cock between the cleft of his ass. “Are you alrght, Noct?” Ignis whispered into his ear, rutting against him. Noctis only nodded, dropping his head into the sheets with a whine. It was…really overwhelming, having his boyfriends surround him, but it also felt  _ good. _ He didn’t know how to reconcile the two.

Ignis didn’t hesitate after that, pressing the tip of his cock past Noctis’ tight ring of muscle. At first Noct thought the stretch was too much—should he safe word out? He didn’t want to get hurt and he couldn’t think of any other way to communicate that to Ignis.

A large hand stroking his back provided a distraction as Gladio came and laid next to him.

“Relax, Noct,” he told him, “You’re doing fine, but you’ve got to relax.”

Amid all the uncertainty and emotions, Noct knew how to handle a command. He was commanded to do most things in his life and, though he didn’t like it on some level, it  _ did _ make life more manageable. He didn’t have a choice, most of the time, and he wanted the same support here, in bed.

A few deep breaths and soothing words later even Ignis was breathing a sigh of relief--Noct opened up beautifully as he relaxed. Ignis began with a few shallow thrusts, working himself deeper until he was fully seated within Noctis.

He paused for a moment, appreciating the heat engulfing his cock. He was right—it felt just as good, no,  _ better, _ than it had around his fingers. He wouldn’t mind staying there forever, if anyone was asking him.

Below him, Noct was letting loose a chorus of soft moans, pressing his face into the sheets and his ass back against Ignis. The fullness that came from Ignis’ cock was so gratifying, so good, he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Lucky for him, Gladio was there to help out again.

“Are you ready for Prompto, babe?” he asked, and good thing he reminded Noct because he’d completely forgotten. He was no less eager, though, and lifted his head to welcome Prompto closer.

He didn’t hesitate to slip the head of Prompto’s cock between his lips, too far gone to worry if he was doing it right or not. Prompto moaned above him and arched into his mouth, so he must have been doing okay. He even got a mumbled ‘good boy…’ and a gentle hand in his hair.

They all paused for a few moments, appreciating the sight and sound of Noctis suckling on Prom’s cock, but Ignis was done waiting. He was loathe to admit it, but he was ready to be greedy. Just for a little while, he reassured himself.

If Noctis’ soft warmth felt good sitting still, Ignis was in ecstasy getting to move. He gripped tight onto Noctis’ hips, helping him roll back against Ignis’ cock when the pleasure became too much for him. He wouldn’t last long like this, Ignis knew—none of them would.

He was fairly sure Noct had already given up on giving Prom a proper blowjob and just held his cock in his mouth, but Prompto didn’t seem upset about it. He was just as happy as Ignis to have a wet hole to thrust in to, though he kept the rolling of his hips gentle as to prevent Noct from gagging.

Amongst it all, Gladio still lay on his side, soothing Noctis with words of praise and loving hands all over his body. And, since he was the only one at Noctis’ level, enjoying the sight of his thick little cock bouncing in time with Ignis’ thrusts. Noct would come the moment he was touched, Gladio was sure, but he was just so  _ tempting _ .

As he predicted, it only took a handful of strokes from Gladio—by the astrals his hand nearly engulfed Noctis’ cock—for Noct to come, screaming and moaning into the sheets.

Prompto’s cock slipped out of Noctis’ mouth in the process, a long string of spit connecting them until Noct buried his face in the sheets. Prompto didn’t mind one bit—he had no qualms about finishing himself off to the sound of Noctis’ moans. It occurred to him at the last minute that coming in the Prince’s hair was probably not something he would enjoy, so he leaned back and jerked himself off until he splattered cum all over his own stomach.

Ignis, spurred on by the contractions of Noct’s body, thrust one last time and spilled his seed deep inside his prince. Just the thought of the act made him want to do it all over again, but mental exhaustion won out first. Still inside Noct, he pitched himself forward, planted his arms on either side of Noctis’ chest and showered him with kisses and affection from above.

As they basked in the afterglow—more like aftershocks for Noctis, still shivering out of pleasure—Noct lifted his head and gazed, inquisitive, at Prom. He was fixated on his hand, Prompto noticed, covered in cum from his own orgasm.

“What’s up, Noct?” he sighed, shooting him a smile, “Wanna taste?”

To his and Gladio’s surprise, he nodded, inching forward what little he could.

“Sure, if you’re curious,” he chuckled, bringing his cum stained hand closer to Noct’s mouth as he stroked his hair, “Might as well try as many new things as we can, I guess.”

Noct gave his hand an experimental lick, swallowing just a little of the milky fluid from Prompto’s hand. His face twisted up right away. The taste was not as nice as porn made it seem  _ at all _ . It was sour and salty, and Noct didn’t even want to think about the texture.

Both Gladio and Prompto laughed at Noctis’ twisted expression. “ ‘S alright, not something everybody likes,” Gladio reassured, leaning in and planting a scruffy kiss on his cheek as he ruffled his hair. “Prom, there should be some water on the nightstand,” he said, sitting up to stretch out his limbs.

Prompto fetched the bottle, the kind with a straw in the lid so it didn’t have to be tipped back, and held it for Noctis to drink. The cool water flooding his mouth combined with Ignis over top of him, still whispering endearments, brought a much needed smile to Noctis’ face. He felt safe and taken care of. Loved. Everything he worried about weeks ago was resolved.

…wait, was Gladio  _ still  _ hard?

“Need some help, big guy?” Prompto must have read his mind, settling in behind Gladio and taking his cock in hand. Gladio grinned and turned his head to meet Prom’s lips over his shoulder.

Huh, well, if Prom and Gladio were still having a good time, he guessed everything was going fine. Guilt stirred in him for not offering to help his boyfriend out, but it would have to be something they would talk about later. He didn’t feel much like talking, anyway. He was lucky that Gladio and Prom understood his needs so well.

Ignis was not so in tune with him at the moment.

The pleasure and shakes from Noct’s orgasm were starting to wear off, so not everything was feeling as amazing as it had a few minutes ago. He elbows and shoulders were bearing most of his weight—and Ignis’ as he began to lean against his back—and the strain was starting to ache. On top of that his hands were still bound, so finding a comfortable position for his arms was nigh on impossible. And on top of  _ that _ , his own cum was streaking the sheets below his belly. He couldn’t lie down unless he wanted to be covered in his own sticky, cooling fluid.

Shouldn’t Ignis have pulled out by now? Noct was no expert of sex, but their session was over. They had to clean up. That was how this went, right?

Safewording out or just telling Ignis to get up weren’t in the cards. He wasn’t ready, didn’t feel safe enough to talk yet. Too many emotions and experiences to process—he just wanted this over and done with, to be warm and comfortable again, and he could feel his anxiety filling up his belly more and more as every second passed.

“ _ Shit _ , Noctis, you feel so good,” Ignis groaned, still rutting against Noct even though he’d gone soft, “Just…just a few more moments, I promise…”

_ No _ , he didn’t want a few more moments. He wanted a shower and a warm blanket, but his voice and body were failing him.

He was distracted a few seconds later by Gladio crying out and coming all over Prompto’s fist. Still wrapped up in pleasure, he and Prom traded kisses until the cooling fluid became uncomfortable. They cleaned themselves off with tissues before  _ finally _ turning back to Noct.

It didn’t take but a moment for them to discern the clear distress painting Noctis’ face.

“Are you alright? Does anything hurt?” Gladio blurted out, surging forward and placing a hand on his shoulder. Usually the touch would be welcome, but Noct found himself wanting to pull away. He couldn’t do that, though, because Ignis was  _ still _ draping his weight across his back and now he felt  _ trapped _ and he really wasn’t planning on having a panic attack here, but—

“Ignis, hey, buddy,” Prompto picked up on Ignis’ odd behavior and shook him by the shoulder. “Iggy, you need to get up,” he demanded.

When Ignis stirred, the first thing he picked up on was Noctis’ heart hammering so hard that he could feel it through his back. Just like before, he pulled himself off Noct like he’d been zapped.

“S-sorry, so sorry,” he murmured, rubbing a hand over his eyes as he came back to himself. He hadn’t…he hadn’t meant for it to go that far.

Without the weight suffocating him, Noctis collapsed onto his side and rolled to his back, whimpering in relief as the pain receded from his shoulders. He took a shuddering breath, tried to calm himself down, but every happy emotion within him was being quashed by an anxious one.

His shoulders still hurt. He was covered in sweat and lube and  _ yuck _ , not to mention he felt loose and wet down below. The sheets were hot and sticking to his skin, and the ropes binding his wrists were starting to make his arms ache and his skin itch.

“Noct, are you alright?” Gladio exclaimed. Despite his good intentions, his loud voice  _ really _ wasn’t helping.

“Noct, can you tell me your color? Is there something you need?” Prom asked, low down and close to him in a whisper. Prom’s soft words helped a little more, but he still wasn’t up for speaking.

His heart pounded as he wracked his brain for an answer. He knew what he wanted, but the thought of his anxiety ruining the whole night was overtaking his mind. Everything had gone so well and he  _ ruined  _ it. Some fear he couldn’t pinpoint tore down all the loving work his boyfriends did for him. It was all his fault. They would never want to do this again.

“Is it the ropes, Noct? Should we get them off?”

Oh, someone verbalized it for him. That was helpful.

He barely managed to lift his bound hands up in the air, but luckily Prom caught and supported them so he didn’t have to. Gladio surged back into his field of vision with something shiny in hand and a moment later he was being cut out of his bonds. The rope fell away in awkward, short sections as he cut, but Noct reveled in the decreasing pressure on his wrists.

Oh, he thought as a short section of rope fell against his chest, that was probably expensive, good rope. Gladio’s nice rope was ruined, all because of him.

It was a good thing Prompto was still holding his hands up when the last of the rope fell away because they were dead weight. Both Gladio and Prom took an arm to themselves and began massaging gently, trying to will away any cramps that might have been causing him pain.

Noct was really, really ready for this to be over.

Where was Ignis? He wanted Ignis. Or did he? Maybe right now wasn’t the best time. As if on cue, the bed shifted and he watched Ignis make his way to the restroom without a word.

Maybe Ignis didn’t want to be with him right now.

“Hey, Prom…there should be an extra blanket in the closet…”

Gladio’s murmur reached his ears, but Noct didn’t process it until a warm, fuzzy blanket covered his body. His arms, all massaged out, were returned to the bed as Prompto pulled the blanket all the way up to his chin. Noct could tell that his boyfriends were apprehensive—ready to touch or comfort if needed—but for now they held back.

Once he actually started feeling the warmth of the blanket in his core, Noct gathered up the strength to grab a fistful of the fuzzy fabric and curl up onto his side. He watched as Prom’s hand hovered over his head for a moment, then finally dropped down and began running light, rhythmic strokes across his scalp.

Noct didn’t like it. He didn’t like that his boyfriends were scared to touch him.

Regardless, the hand in his hair and the presence of his partners calmed him. His let his eyes slipped closed and rested.

 

* * *

 

When Noct finally found the energy to come back around, all three of his boyfriends were back in the room. They’d all donned sweatpants or loose sleep pants, and Noct was feeling much less threatened. Gladio and Prompto remained on the bed, but Ignis sat in Noct’s desk chair, giving himself some distance.

“Hey bud,” Prompto greeted with a small smile, “don’t worry, you were only out for like ten minutes.”

Noctis blinked slow and hummed in understanding. Perhaps he should get back around to talking.

“You feelin ready to get up? Maybe take a shower or get dressed?” Prom offered.

“A shower,” he ground out. Prompto nodded and slipped a hand under his back, helping him sit up.

Prom took his hand and guided him to the attached bathroom where towels and a change of clothes were already arranged for him. The water was warmed and Prom urged him under the spray before shedding his clothing and joining him.

Prompto helped Noct wash up, let him put his arms around Prompto’s shoulders while he gave Noct a thorough rinsing with the hose shower head. Sex was weird and kind of embarrassing, Noct decided, but Prompto was there for him, holding him even though he couldn’t articulate what he needed very well. It was nice, safe, and Noctis wished he was feeling the same thing from Ignis and Gladio, rather than just Prompto.

“Can I kiss you?” Prompto asked when they were clean, making a silly duck face through the rivulets of water running down his cheeks.

It took a second for Noctis to actually process what he was being asked. Well, they just had sex, so…he guessed that was okay? “Yeah…sure,” he mumbled.

He didn’t know what it was, but Prompto’s presence was so comforting that night. They returned to the bedroom hand in hand to find Noctis’ bed dressed with new sheets, pillowcases and blankets. With the bed clean and fresh, the new sheets cooling his skin while the blankets provided much needed security and warmth, Noctis dozed off in no time, surrounded by his partners.

\-----------------------------

The next morning Ignis rose first, slipping silently out of the bed and busying himself with breakfast and other morning chores. Gladio followed him, throwing an extra blanket over the other two to ward off the morning chill. Prompto woke at least an hour after the other two, taking his time to untangle himself from Noct and stretch.

He couldn’t bear to wake Noct, though he perched on the edge of the bed and watched his prince sleep for a few moments. He still looked so comfortable and warm—he deserved as much rest as he wanted, after last night.

Shutting the door silently behind him, Prom joined his other partners in the kitchen for a cup of coffee and a plate of whatever Ignis whipped up. They ate and drank in an uneasy peace, until Prompto couldn’t take the silence anymore.

“So…” Prom drew out the word as he stabbed a piece of strawberry with his fork, “We’re not just gonna ignore how Noct reacted last night, are we?”

Ignis, his back turned as he poured himself another mug of ebony, froze up, his shoulders tensing up to his ears. Gladio didn’t react so dramatically, just finished chewing his mouthful of food before he turned to Prompto.

“Honestly, we didn’t know how to approach it,” he admitted. “I thought waiting until he got up on his own might be best, but Iggy didn’t agree.”

“I, just,” Ignis stammered as he tried to gather his thoughts. “It’s obvious that we mucked up the aftercare and didn’t realize until too late. I thought we should address it as soon as possible. You know he’ll bottle up those emotions quick if we don’t make him talk.”

Gladio shrugged, but looked to Prompto.

“I agree with Iggy, Glads. We made so much progress, we can’t let him reverse it all just because he’s scared,” he said. “We’re all scared. We’ve got to talk about it.”

A small smile graced Ignis’ lips, proud of Prompto’s confidence. Gladio nodded, polished off his coffee, then gave in.

“Welp, majority rules, right? Let’s go see what we can do.”

 

* * *

 

Noctis jumped when he heard the door crack open again. Maybe one of them left their phone on the nightstand? Or a shirt?

“Hey, Noct?” Prompto softly called out. He felt the other end of the bed sink down. “You awake, babe?”

Damn. No luck.

He wanted to just bury himself under the blankets, but if he refused to talk they would really know something was wrong. Guess there was no getting out of this one, then.

He gingerly sat up, his body still sore from the night before, and turned to face his partners. He wished he hadn’t. The worry that swept across their faces when they saw his red, puffy eyes and fresh tear tracks on his cheeks made him want to run out the door.

“Um…g’morning, guys,” he mumbled when none of them spoke.

“Noct, I…” Ignis tried to start, but his voice died in his throat.

“We wanted to talk to you about last night, Noct,” Gladio said, never one to mince words, but backpedaled when he saw Noctis tense up. “Y-you did fine, Noct, you were amazing. But we made some mistakes…and we can’t just let you go on thinking that those mistakes were okay.”

That got Noctis’ attention and he sat up a little taller, grabbing the water bottle off the nightstand for a drink as he listened.

“I’d like to apologize first,” Ignis tried again, but couldn’t hold eye contact with him. “For my behavior toward the end. It was wrong of me to assume that you would want… _ that _ , after so much stimulation already. I should have stopped to ask how you were doing and-and I’m so sorry that I didn’t, Noct.”

He wanted to throw himself at his prince’s feet, be punished for his ignorance, but that wasn’t what this was about. They were in a relationship, or they were trying, anyway—there was no power balance to be had here, though Ignis had trouble remembering that, more often than not.

They all gave Noct time to respond, sitting in silence as he sniffled and wiped away the last of his tears.

When the silence drew on for too long they knew Noct wasn’t ready to speak, was still too preoccupied processing the night before and Ignis’ apology. Should they stop now and try again later? Prompto wasn’t sure. He was as new to the whole deep communication thing as Noct was.

In the meantime, Gladio moved over next to Noct, took their prince’s hand and made the decision for them.

“Noct, you gotta talk to us,” he said, rubbing circles into the back of the smaller hand with his thumb. “Even if you don’t wanna accept our apologies now, we want to understand. Tell us how you’re feeling and we can help you through it.”

Noctis looked him in the eye, then at their linked hands. He placed another hand on top of Gladio’s and searched for something to say. His head was swimming with emotions, but Gladio was right. He had to say  _ something _ .

“I…I didn’t like how you and Ignis treated me after the sex was over, or at least what I thought was the end,” he blurted out. Not the most graceful beginning, but at least it was something. “And part of that is…it’s no one’s fault. I just thought after Ignis was done it was ‘over’ and expected things to go a certain way, but they didn’t. And that really upset me.”

The other three nodded, thinking his words over. “Was it just the end parts that upset you, or were there other parts, too?” Prompto asked. Noct let go of Gladio’s hand and twisted the blanket in his hands, drumming his fingers against the fabric as he thought.

“There were other parts,” he admitted, “but for the  _ most _ part I enjoyed it. It felt amazing, beyond amazing, at times, and I liked how much you guys encouraged me,” he explained, sharing a small smile with Prompto. “I guess…just, getting off by myself, I know how that goes. I have a routine and I control everything that happens. I didn’t consider how different that would be with other people.”

“So some of it was unexpected, you might say,” Ignis offered.

“Yeah, I didn’t think it would be so difficult to get started in the beginning. And in the end…on top of how anxious I was, I felt messy and gross. That didn’t make me feel very good, to end like that,” he said. What troubled him was that he didn’t think there was anything they could  _ do _ about that—sex was messy, and it didn’t seem like there was any way around it.

“And that’s where the aftercare is supposed to come in, so your partners can help you work through those feelings and…” Gladio trailed off, shaking his head, “I’m sorry Noct, we really fucked up.”

Ignis came back in with a little more confidence in his response. “I don’t think we should place too much blame on anyone, Gladio. We acknowledged we were wrong and we will know better going forward, but we are still all very new to this,” he glanced around, meeting their eyes. “We were letting our anxiety about hurting Noct put such a fog over our minds that we didn’t see when he  _ really _ needed help.”

“But we’ll do better next time, keeping each other in check,” Prom added in, trying to bring the mood up.

“Speaking of that, though,” Noctis spoke up, rubbing the back of his head. “I…I don’t know if I can handle everyone at the same time. I love you guys, but it’s really overwhelming.”

“Hey, it’s no problem Noct,” Gladio backed him up. “Like I said before; it’s not easy. Maybe you could benefit more from some one-on-one time, you know? Take time to explore what you like.”

Ignis nodded. “Definitely. More communication and bonding will be good for all of us. Also, Noct, I think…with your need for routine…” he held himself back, unsure if it was the right time to share such a personal sentiment. But Gladio and Prompto needed to hear it, too, so he may as well come out with it. 

“I know it might seem a little strange, but I have no qualms talking more about what will happen during sex in the future. It will help you know what to expect, so you can avoid being caught by surprise,” he said, one hand fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

They all fell silent, waiting for Noctis’ answer. Prompto cocked his head to the side and looked to Gladio for an answer, not understanding what Ignis was getting at. Gladio kept his face neutral and signaled to Prom.  _ Later _ . Later he’d explain.

Noctis was staring at his hands in his lap, toying with a corner of the blanket, but couldn’t fight the small, proud smile wiggling its way onto his face.

Gladio understood his need for routine because he’d been at Noct’s side for so long. Prompto didn’t get it—Noct didn’t know if he ever would. His best friend just wasn’t wired the same way, but that was okay. As his boyfriend Prom didn’t need to ‘get it’— he just had to be willing to accommodate him, and Noct already knew he was.

But Ignis?

Ignis got it. Ignis knew better than anyone else, because Ignis was just like him. He craved the same routine and normalcy and script that Noctis did, and that was precisely why they worked so well together. Ignis was just…more proactive about the whole thing. But that was the best part for Noctis; Ignis figured things out ahead of time so Noct didn’t have to. So, when Noct caught up with him, all he had to do was copy Ignis, ask Ignis for help, have Ignis explain things.

It was how their relationship worked. And during the night before, when all of that suddenly stopped…

It didn’t matter now. What mattered now was that he wasn’t alone. He didn’t feel so bad anymore, knowing that his need for a routine was valid and that he wasn’t just making it up in his head.

Rather than putting his answer into words, Noctis pushed the blanket aside and scooted to the edge of the bed closest to where Ignis was standing. He opened his arms, expectant, and couldn’t wipe away his smile.

Ignis didn’t hesitate, but didn’t rush, to embrace his prince, his lover, his oldest friend. Noct was so relieved that they understood each other, and that was all that mattered in the moment.

Prompto and Gladio inevitably joined in, all their unique smells and touches flooding Noct with good feelings. They didn’t, by any means, work together perfectly, but by the astrals would they try. One way or another, they would get there. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was a rollercoaster for me to write, but I really, really enjoyed it. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Find me   
> @ferix-writes on tumblr   
> @ferix_writes on twitter!


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